Cornstalk-cutter



A. CHERRY.

OQRN STALK CUTTER.

No. 250,054. Patented Nov. 29,1881.

- 4 WITNESSES: INVENTOR: w a zz ATTORNEYS.

Nrrnn STATES ALEXANDER CHERRY, OF SARATOGA, NEW YORK.

CORNSTALK-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,054, dated November 29, 1881.

Application filed April 6, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER CHERRY, of Saratoga, in the county of Saratoga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Uornstalk-Outters, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a plan View of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of one of the runners, taken through the line w 00, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the cutting and gathering of cornstalks.

The invention consists in constructing a cornstalk-cutter ot'two parallel runners having downwardly-projectiug plates attached to their sides, the two outwardly-inclined side bars, the two outwardly and upwardl vinclined side bars, the laterally-projecting knives, the out wardly and rearwardlyinclined guide-bars, and the adjustable hook-bars, whereby the stalks will be cut, two rows at a time, and laid in the middle of the spaces betweenthe cut rows and the adjacent rows, with the butts of the stalks forward or rearward, as desired, as will be hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents two parallel bars or runners.

To the upper side of the forward ends of the runners A are attached the forward ends of two bars, B, which incline from each other toward their rear ends, and are connected at their ends and middle parts by cross-bars O. The cross-bars G are also attached to the runners A to keep the said runners in position.

To the forward ends of the bars B are attached the forward ends of two bars,D, which incline from each other toward their rear ends at a greater angle than the bars B, and which also incline upward, as shown in Fig. 2. The bars D are connected at their middle and rear parts by cross-bars E, and are supported at the proper elevation by the standards F. The lower ends of the standards F are attached to the rear cross-bars O, and their upper ends are attached to the rear cross-bars E.

To the centers of the front and middle crossbars (3 is attached the draw-bar G, the forward end of which projects and is bent into hook form for the convenient attachment of the draft.

H. are the knives or cutters, the inner ends of which are attached to the middle part of the lower side of the center cross-bar O. The knives H incline to the rearward, pass through notches in the upper sides ofthe runners A, and are bolted to thelower sides of the bars B. The outer ends of the knives H are curved forward, as shown in Fig. 1.

To the upper side of the center cross-bar G are attached the inner ends of two bars, I, which incline outward and rearward, and are bolted to the upper sides of the bars B. The outer ends of the bars I are thus above and a little in the rear of the outer ends of the cutters H. YVith this construction, as the machine is drawn forward between two rows of cornstalks the knives H will cut off the stalks a little above the ground, and the peculiar arrangement and inclination of the bars 13 D I will cause the cut stalks to fall in the middle parts of the spaces between the cut rows and the adjacent rows, with their butts forward.

To the forward cross-bar E, at a little distance from the bars D, are pivoted theforward ends of two rods, J, the forward halves of which are straight and pass through long keepers K, attached to the rear cross-bar E. The rods J, at the rear side of the keepers K, are bent outward at right angles, and are then curved forward into the arcs of circles having their centers at the pivots at the forward ends of the said rods J. The curved arms of the rods J pass throughkeepersL, attached to the bars D. The rods J are secured in place, when their curved arms are drawn inward, as shown in Fig. 1, and when their curved arms are projected, by pins M, inserted in holes in the bar E, near the ends of the long keepers K. With this construction, when the machine has been drawn across the field, and has out two rows of stalks and laid them with the butts forward, the hooks J are projected so as to receive the upper ends of the stalks and draw them forward, so that the stalks in the return rows will be laid with their butts to the rearward, the stalks in all thefour rows being thus laid with the butts in the same direction.

In case the stalks are to be shocked, after enough rows have been cut for the men to use in passing once across the field, the stalks should be laid with their butts in the opposite direction for the men to use in their re IOC turn across the field, as it is much easier for the men to handle the stalks when the butts of the stalks are toward them.

In the lower parts ot the outer sides of the runners A are formed rabbets, in which are secured metal plates N, which project below the lower sides or faces of the said runners, to enter the ground and hold the machine from lateral movement.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A cornstalk-cutter constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of the parallel runners A, having downwardly-projecting metal plates N attached to them, the outwardly-inclined bars B, the outwardly and upwardly inclined bars D, theeutters H, the outwardly and rearwardly inclined bars 1, and the adjustable hook-rods J, as set forth.

2. In a cornstalk-cutter, the combination,

with the parallel runners A,of the outwardlyinclined bars B, the outwardly and upwardly inclined bars D, the knives H, and the outwardly and rearwardly inclined bars I, sub stantiallyas herein shown-and deseribed,whereby the cut stalks will be laid, with their butts forward, in the middle of the spaces between the out rows and the adjaeentrows, as set forth.

3. In a cornstalk-eutter, the combination, with the parallel runners A, the outwardly-inclined bars B, the outwardly and upwardly inclined bars D, the knives H, and the outwardly and rearwardly inclined bars I, of the adjustable hook-rods J, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the cut stalks will be laid, with their butts to the rearward, in the middle of the spaces between the cut rows and the adjacent rows, as set forth.

ALEXANDER CHERRY. Witnesses:

JESSIE B. CHERRY, JOHN L. BARBOUR. 

